GranFondo & Sportive Coaching Camp, La Clusaz

Day 1:

Tour de la Tournette (91km, 2,300m), including the col de la Forclaz, the col de l'Epine and the col de la Coix-Fry.

We begin the week with this classic local ride, during which the coaches observe your basic bike handling, cornering and climbing skills. After descending to Thônes we take a very quiet road to the (easy) col de Bluffy, before continuing to the spectacular col de la Forclaz. From here there are stunning views across Lake Annecy and the Massif des Bauges. We descend all the way to the valley floor and a few km of flat before the charming col de l’Epine. The return to La Clusaz is via the col de la Croix-Fry. Less than 12km, this is nevertheless a tough climb that must be treated with respect. Throughout the ride, we pay close attention to your pacing to ensure you stay at the right level for a long endurance ride.

Day 2:

Plateau des Glières (77km, 1,750m), including the col des Glières and the col des Fleuries.

Today we begin with the short but steep climb to the Plateau de Glières, first used by the Tour de France in 2018. There’s a short gravel section over the top before a long descent. The coaching focus is on climbing technique and pacing. We look at your seated pedalling technique and how it varies between the moderate and steep pitches, and we look at your standing technique to help you “dance” on the pedals like a pro. The second climb, to the col des Fleuries, is much easier and will allow us to contrast climbing techniques between climbs of different gradients. We return to La Clusaz up the beautiful Gorges du Borne, in time for one of the Beauregard’s excellent buffet lunches.

Day 3:

Descending clinic (68km, 2,300m), including the col des Aravis, the col de Plan Bois and the col de la Croix-Fry.

Descending is a crucial skill to master if you are going to ride in the mountains. Our goal today is to help you make a big improvement in your ability to descend confidently. We begin by warming up on the 6 km climb to the col des Aravis., where we organise a descending clinic. Each rider has the opportunity to descend multiple times with a coach and to be videoed multiple times. This enables us to provide immediate feedback, and the video allows you to observe your own technique. We then back-track to the col de la Croix-Fry and let you loose for an optional uphill time trial, finishing with a well-earned coffee at the summit café. From there, it is a short descent home for lunch, but there’s always the hard option of adding the col de Plan Bois!

Day 4:

Etape du Tour route recce (90km, 3,200m)

We ride the last two-thirds of the 2022 Etape du Tour, over the col de la Croix de Fer and up to l’Alpe d’Huez.

We will take a minibus ride from La Clusaz to Saint Jean de Maurienne, and climb to the col de la Croix de Fer after a short warm-up along the valley floor. The Croix de Fer is a classic Alpine climb, long and tough, on the bucket list for any keen cyclist. The summit is 30 km from St Jean, and 1,522m higher up. There are two quite long sections in he mddle where you lose height, so the average gradient when climbing varies mostly between 7% and 9%. The climb to Alpe d’Huez requires little introduction. It is 13 km long and 1022m. If you are very strong you can try to ride it in less than one hour: most riders take from 1h30 to 2h.

Day 5:

Tour des Aravis (97km, 2,350m), including the col des Aravis and the col de la Colombière. Option: col de Romme.

This is a highlight of the week: the Tour des Aravis, including the mighty Colombière, from the tough side of course! The ride begins by the climb to the col des Aravis and the descent to Flumet, where we turn left and go through the famous ski-station of Megève. Descending from Megève we enjoy stunning views of Mont Blanc before the flat ride out along the valley floor to Cluses, where we will regroup and refuel before tackling the Colombière. The climb is 16 km long, rising 1,100m. There’s an easy bit in the middle at Reposoir, and the hardest bit is at the end. Your reward is a delicious blueberry tart in the summit café! There’s a tough option for the brave: add the col de Romme.

Day 6:

Tour du Mont Charvin (99km, 2,450m), including the col du Marais, the col de l'Arpettaz and the col des Aravis.

Another stunning ride, the Tour du Mont Charvin takes us first down to Thônes, over the col du Marais and along the valley to Ugine. From here we climb the remarkable col de l’Arpettaz, with its 49 hairpin bends. Many of these are in a shady beech forest before reaching the high alpine pastures. There’s a refuge on top for a coffee and cake before the precipitous descent to the balcony road to Flumet. We finish the ride by coming back over the col des Aravis from the south side, to close the loop on an exceptional circuit.

NOTE: all itineraries can be lengthened or shortened depending on the abilities and preferences of the group.